"A
lot of batters were looking for the fastball, and the slider looks like
a fastball until it drops off at the last second," Burdick told The Evening Independent. "Mostly, that's how I got people out in Tampa."

Burdick went on to turn pro in 1986, signed by the Orioles
as an undrafted free agent. But, while he worked to get people out for
six professional seasons, he never got the chance to do so in the
majors.

With the Orioles, Burdick started at rookie Bluefield, going 4-3 in 12 starts there, with a 6.75 ERA.

Burdick
returned to Bluefield for 1987, also getting time at single-A Miami and
Hagerstown. He played at Hagerstown all of 1988, getting 22 starts
there and going 10-10, with a 3.64 ERA.

He
remained in single-A for 1989, playing at Frederick, but it was a brief
season, just nine outings. In Burdick's first start that year, he went
five innings, giving up three hits and picking up the win.

Back at Hagerstown in 1991, Burdick picked up 26 outings, 21 starts. He also went 11-4, with a 2.99 ERA. In June, he went seven innings in one outing, giving up just four hits. But it was Burdick's final season as a pro, his career ending after six seasons.